


Little Bells

by thejilyship



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Muggle, F/M, Fluff and flirting, bookshop au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:34:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28433226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thejilyship/pseuds/thejilyship
Summary: Lily is excited to find a new bookshop to explore, she's a little less excited about the clerk
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Comments: 12
Kudos: 78





	Little Bells

**Author's Note:**

> I had completely forgotten about this one lol  
> Enjoy!

The small bell above the door rung when Lily walked into the bookshop and her smile widened.

She had noticed this small gem while on her way home from work a few days ago, but hadn’t had time to stop by until now. It was hidden behind her usual coffee shop, only a few blocks from her flat and she knew at the sound of the bell that she would be back quite often. Sometimes you could just tell when you walk into a place that it’s going to be special. The smell, the feel, the noises- and this place was going to be special. She just had a feeling.

She walked down the aisles, running her fingers over the spines of the books, pulling out one every now and then, reading the back cover and then putting it back. She wasn’t ready to shop just yet, she just wanted to browse, to get a feel for the place and find out where everything was, see where the best nooks for reading were, where they kept tea and biscuits, how her footsteps sounded against the wooden floor.

“Can I help you find anything?” Lily looked away from the books and to the young clerk behind the counter. He had disheveled hair, black-rimmed glasses that were a bit too large for his face and a friendly crooked grin. He looked like he might just live in this bookstore.

“Nah, I’m good.” She said, smiling politely and then turning back to the books. There was just something about bookstores that put her in a good mood-

“Are you sure I can’t help you?” The clerk asked again, drawing in Lily’s attention. “I can give you some recommendations if you’d like. I’ve read quite a bit of what we’ve got in stock here.”

“I’m just browsing right now.” Lily said, giving him a tight-lipped smile. “But I’ll be sure to ask you if I have any questions.” Surely, the clerk of a bookshop should understand that she didn’t want him to talk to her at the moment. She couldn’t be the only one who just wanted to look around during their first time visiting a new bookshop.

“Right, of course,” He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. “Sorry, forget I said anything. It’s just you’re- um, you know and this place- I just mean to say that we don’t get a lot of- not that it should matter per say, but if we just- I’m stuck now. I’m rambling and unable to finish sentences. That was a sentence. But now I’m still just rambling-“

“Look,” Lily interrupted him and he looked extremely grateful about it too. “I’m just going to look around for a bit more and then I’ll be out of your hair, alright?”

“You don’t have to leave!” He said quickly and Lily started to think that maybe she should leave sooner rather than later. “I just think you’re pretty and don’t know how to talk to girls. But I’ll shut up and let you browse. Promise.”

Lily smiled and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, unsure on how she should feel about this boy. “Thank you.” She said quietly before turning back towards the books. She looked around the rest of the store without interruption and when she was done, she smiled at the clerk and pushed open the door, the small bell ringing overhead as she left.

oOo

She went back a couple days later, a post-it note with nearly illegible book titles scribbled in an oddly neat line stuck to the forefinger of her left hand. She heard the bell and smiled, already starting to feel like this little bookshop was hers in some way. She walked around the shop, pulling out a few books every now and again and putting most of them back. She had walked through the entirety of the shop finding only two of the books on her list, but carrying six books by the time she reached the counter. The same clerk who had been here a few days ago was there again.

“Good afternoon,” He said, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Did you find everything that you were looking for?” Lily wanted to give him a look that let him know that she remembered what happened the other day, but he seemed to be trying rather hard to either be professional or act as though he didn’t recognize her so she let him have a break.

“I did not actually,” She said. “There are three other books I couldn’t find.”

“Oh?” He looked up at her and then quickly looked back down, shaking his head. “And what books were they?” She smiled slightly and handed him the sticky note. He looked at it for a moment and then narrowed his brow and looked back up at her. “What is this?” He asked.

“The list of books I came here to buy.” Lily said, confused as to what he meant.

“And you expect me to be able to read this?” He asked, smiling.

Lily crossed her arms and jutted out her jaw. “Yes,” She said calmly. “You said you could help me.”

“I did, but I can’t read this,” He said raising his brow. “It looks as though someone gave a pen to a drunk raccoon just to see what would happen.” Lily pursed her lips.

“You couldn’t form a complete sentence in front of me the other day and now you’re telling me I’m a drunk raccoon?”

“No,” He laughed and shook his head. “Only that you write like one.” He pulled the note closer to his face and missed the spectacular glare that Lily sent his way. This wasn’t the first time that her handwriting had been insulted, but this was the first time that anyone had called her a raccoon.

“It’s not that bad.” She frowned.

“No, it really is. I don’t know why, but this makes me feel so much better.” He said. “I mean the other day I was watching you float around the store like you were some ethereal being, lost in your own world and now I find out that you’re incapable of forming simple symbols to effectively communicate with people. You’re human.” Lily pressed her lips together. She didn’t know why it was bothering her so much, she knew that her handwriting was shit, it always had been. But he just seemed like a ponce.

“Can you help me or not?” She asked, snatching at the paper and stuffing it in her pocket.

“If you tell me what books you’re looking for then yes, I can.” He nodded, his grin looking significantly more crooked than it had a few moments ago. She re-crossed her arms and then sighed and told him the names of the books she wanted. “Oh I’ve heard of that last one,” He said, walking around the counter and heading for one of the shelves in the middle of the store. “I was reading it the other day- it’s very good.”

“That’s what my friend Mary told me.” Lily nodded, still being slightly curt. He found the book and handed it to her. “I’ll put in an order for the other two as I don’t think we have them. Do you want to leave your number so I can call you when they come in?” Lily raised her brows and he backtracked. “I didn’t mean leave your number with me- I’m not asking for your number.” He shook his head. “I just meant that if you leave your information with the shop, whoever is working when the order gets here can give you a ring and let you know.”

Lily was glad to see that he wasn’t entirely done tripping over himself in front of her. “I think I’ll just check back in a couple days.” She said, walking back up to the counter with him and pulling out her purse to purchase her books.

“Right, that’s fine too.” He said, his ears turning a bit red. He rang up the books, she handed him the proper amount, and she left without saying much more.

oOo

She brought tea with her this time. She had a bit of a sore throat and was hoping to ward off a cold with few cups of herbal tea and big cozy sweaters. It was a Sunday and she didn’t have work today, so she arrived at the bookshop around ten in the morning, pushing the door open with her back and grinning at the sound of the bell.

She peeked over at the counter and saw that a different clerk was working and he didn’t seem to notice her at all as she took a seat in one of the plush couches across from the counter and pulled a book out of her bag. She settled into the couch, tucking her knees up under her and pulling her sweater up so it covered her mouth.

She sat on the couch for a few hours before she heard the bell ring above the door.

She looked over and saw the messy haired clerk walk through. He didn’t seem to notice her right away and had a quick conversation with the man behind the counter as they switched places.

“You owe me one,” The messy haired bloke said to the other clerk.

“Do I though?” He asked, tossing his head in Lily’s direction. James’ eyes landed on her and she quickly looked back down at her book. She turned the page carefully and took almost a whole minute trying to read the first sentence there before sighing, setting her book down and reaching for her tea.

“What are you reading?” The clerk asked, coming over with an armload of books and setting them down on a free table near her. He began going through them and placing them on their proper shelves. Lily watched him for a moment, contemplating how she should handle this interaction.

“What’s your name?” She asked, deciding that she needed to stop referring to him as ‘the clerk’ in her head. Not that she thought about him all the time when she wasn’t here, because she _didn’t_. It was only sometimes. And usually when she was passing the bookshop. Which happened twice a day, every day. And then when she looked at the books that she bought, or thought of another book she wanted to buy.

He looked at her, eyebrows raised slightly. “James.” He said quickly, pushing his glasses up his nose and then letting his hands fall to his sides. “My name is James.” He looked at the book he was holding again and then placed it carefully on the self. “And you?”

“Lily.” She said. She eyed him again, took another sip of her tea and then looked down at her book. “It’s _Alice in Wonderland._ ” She said. “It’s one of my favorites.”

“It’s a good book.” He nodded, smiling slightly.

They were quiet for a moment, James putting books on the shelves and Lily trying to read. She’d read barely half a page before she felt compelled to say something else to him.

“Is this not your normal shift?” She asked.

“Wha- Oh, no.” He shook his head. “My friend Sirius, the bloke who was here earlier, he begged me to come in and cover for him so I did.”

Lily nodded. “Right,”

“Why?” He asked, squinting at her slightly.

“I just thought it was a bit strange that you happened to be working the three times that I’ve been here.” She shrugged.

James looked at her and nodded, a small smile on his lips. “It is strange. Especially when you consider the fact that I only work here around twenty hours a week.”

“Really?” Lily asked, raising her brow.

“No.” James chuckled and shook his head. “It's my shop, I pretty much live here.”

Lily rolled her eyes and again, tried to go back to her book. She did feel validated in her original assessment of him though. James moved further down the aisle and then disappeared entirely as he stepped into a new aisle. Lily took a deep breath and tried to work out why she was suddenly so interested in this bloke.

Well, she supposed that she knew why she was interested. He said that he owned this bookshop and practically lived here, he seemed interested in her, which was always a plus and he was sort of a dork, which tended to be her type. Also, that mop of hair he had looked quite soft. And he had nice eyes. He had helped her find her books, and he was being respectful of the fact that she came to the shop to have a quiet and pleasant place to read- although that hadn’t exactly worked out the way she intended it to.

“James?” She called out, closing her eyes briefly in exasperation at herself. He popped his head out of the aisle he was in and Lily had to try very hard not to smile at him. But then he was looking at her expectantly and she realized that she hadn’t really thought of what to say, only that she _wanted_ to say something and so she opened her mouth, willing herself to say something. He raised his brows when she didn’t immediately start talking and she closed her mouth again before finally finding something she could say. “Did my order come in yet?” She asked, biting on the tip of her tongue. There was too much of a pause for that to be what she wanted to say, but James didn’t seem to notice.

“I don’t think so, but let me check in the back.” He smiled at her and then walked off. He returned a moment later empty handed. “Nope, not yet.” He shrugged. Lily smiled at him and went to take another drink of her tea, but it was gone now. She frowned at her cup and sighed. She couldn’t not have tea, especially not when she might be getting sick and while she was acting like a ponce in front of this bloke who probably fancied her. Even if he did think that she was raccoon.

She stood up and walked towards James, and the door. He looked up at her, surprised that she was yet again initiating conversation with him. “I’m going to run next door and get more tea,” She said, holding up her empty thermos. “I know this place isn’t very busy, but could you watch my things for me?”

He nodded, “Yeah, I can make sure no one steals your things.” He smiled and Lily couldn’t help but to return the smile.

“Do you want me to get you anything?” She asked, figuring she’d be polite.

“Oh, you don’t have to-“

“I know, but I offered.” She interrupted. “So do you want something?”

“A black tea would be lovely.” He said, looked down at the book in his hand and glanced up at her quickly. She wasn’t the only one who wasn’t sure how they were supposed to act.

She went next door and bought the teas and when she came back, she found James seated on the other end of her couch with a book of his own. She narrowed her brow.

“It’s my break.” He said by way of explanation, reaching out to accept his tea. Lily handed it to him and sat back on her end of the couch, finding a note and a few coins on top of her book. She shook her head and pushed them into her purse.

“And so you thought we’d share a couch.” She said, making a point of looking at all the empty couches around them. He grinned and took a sip.

“I was just watching your things for you,” He said with a shrug. “I’ll find somewhere else to sit now.” Lily rolled her eyes and pulled her feet back under her.

“And what were you going to do if I didn’t stop you?” She asked, skipping the part of this game where she told him it was all right to stay where he was. He was flirting with her again, she was almost certain of it. He chuckled and narrowed his brow at her.

“Well, I suppose I would have found a different couch to sit on.” He said, settling back against the couch. They were quiet again, both immersed in their books, or at least pretending to be immersed in their books.

It was James who broke the silence this time. “Does this count as a coffee date?” He asked, looking over at her. Lily looked up at him with wide eyes.

“No,” She shook her head. “We’re drinking tea.” She looked back down and heard him chuckle.

“Yeah, but I don’t think there’s such thing as a tea date.” He said.

“There’s not.” She agreed, fighting a grin.

“Alright, so what if I wanted to ask for your number again? But this time for my own personal use.” He said. “Not for the store.”

She turned the page of her book even though she hadn’t read any of it. “I suppose you’d ask for it, if you wanted it.” She said before taking another sip of her tea. “Probably ask me on a proper date as well.”

“And you’d say yes?” He asked. “Even though I called you a raccoon.”

“I’m not making any promises.” She shrugged, her smile more prominent now.

“Hey Lily,” He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. She perked up at the sound of her name. She quite liked how he said it. “Can I have your number?”

“I don’t think so.” She said solemnly. He narrowed his brow and she looked up at him, finally putting her book aside. “I mean, I could give it to you, but you probably wouldn’t be able to read it.” She shrugged. He laughed and pushed himself off the couch. He walked over to the counter and pulled out a pencil and piece of paper. He scribbled something down and then walked back of to Lily and handed it to her. “You’re giving me your number?”

“Yes.” He nodded.

“And you’re just going to trust me to call you and not hand it out to every batty person that I come across?” He nodded again, his lips quirking up at the corners.

“I mean, if you don’t call me, I’ll just give you a hard time the next time you visit the shop.” He shrugged.

“That’s a good point.” She nodded.

“I thought so.” He grinned. She pulled at the sleeve of her sweater and smiled at him. 

She had a feeling that the shop was going to be important to her, and she was right.


End file.
